Rafael Nadal is one win away from clinching the year-end world No. 1 ranking. Standing in his way on Wednesday in London is Stanislas Wawrinka.
Rafael Nadal and Stanislas Wawrinka will be going head-to-head for the 12th time in their careers when they collide on the second day of Group A competition at the World Tour Finals on Wednesday night.
Nadal has won all 11 of their previous encounters, including six on hard courts. In fact, the Spaniard is 24-0 in total sets against Wawrinka and only four have progressed to tiebreakers. They have faced each other three times this season, with Nadal cruising in Madrid (6-2, 6-4), at Roland Garros (6-2, 6-3, 6-1), and most recently in Shanghai (7-6(10), 6-1).
Wawrinka’s struggles in this matchup have continued even though this has been by far the best and most consistent year of his professional life. The Swiss is 50-21 and up to a career-high ranking of No. 8 in the world. His first appearance at the year-end championship got off to a strong start on Monday, when he held off Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-7(0), 6-3 in two hours and 25 minutes.
Nadal kicked off his London campaign on Tuesday by avenging a Paris loss to David Ferrer. The world No. 1 had lost to his countryman 6-3, 7-5 last week, but he hammered Ferrer 6-3, 6-2 this time around. Nadal owns an incredible 10 titles in 2013, including four on hard courts, but he is still in search of his first since the U.S. Open. He lost in the Beijing final and in the semis of both Shanghai and Paris. However, Nadal has not lost to anyone outside the top five since Wimbledon.
An indoor setting, where Wawrinka has not faced Nadal since 2007, should help the underdog. Nonetheless, this particular court is likely playing too slow and ball are bouncing too high for Wawrinka to pull off what would be a borderline stunner. Nadal should be able to dictate baseline rallies and neutralize his opponent’s best shot by once again pounding heavy topspin at the Wawrinka one-handed backhand.
With a win, Nadal would clinch the year-end world No. 1 ranking. To say he will be determined would be an understatement.
Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 8 games or fewer
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not a pleasant match to watch…
^^very unpleasant…
One last push Rafa and the job is done. Stan will be a bit tight serving now.
^^^^we have to hope!
Rafa should have served for the match already!!!! Vamos Rafa!!!
Heaven help us. Not another tie-break.
Heaven didnt help this time…………lol!!
Stan is going to take his 1st set against Rafa
Words fail me. I dont think i can watch any more of this.
Numero Uno 🙂
Talk about scraping across the line. Phew.
It would have been nicer if it had been a clear cut win. But a win is a win.
No wonder Rafa had a hard time closing out Wimbie ’07 🙂
Are they going to give him the YE#1 trophy now?
PHENOMENADAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RT @NeilHarmanTimes: “One man’s year. Undoubtedly @RafaelNadal world No.1. Today’s match today fit for a coronation. He beats @stanwawrinka 76 76. Sublime tennis”
RT @christophclarey: “Absent from Australian Open, 1st round loser at Wimbledon, #Nadal will be No. 1 when it matters most: at season’s end Beats Stan 7-6, 7-6”
RT @ESPN Tennis: “Rafael Nadal, who did not play from July 2012 until Feb. 2013, has clinched the year-end No. 1 with today’s win over Wawrinka. #ESPNTennis”
RT @Ringham7: “No one would have put more than a couple of pesos on Rafa ending up No 1 after starting in SAmerica after 7 months out. Phenomenal”
RT @darren_cahill: “Vamos Rafa. Say hello to the 2013 Year End #1… Rafael Nadal. A superb performance.”
world number ONE 😀 hell yeah 😀
Vamos Rafa, no matter what! A good phrase for this entire year.
I hope that he can win his semi and make it once more to the WTF final.
Rafa clinched the year end No.1 spot !!!!!!!!!!!!!
VAMOS Rafa for all you’ve done
to be hailed once again as the year-end world number one!
Vamooooooooooooos the 2013 champion !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vamos!!! Now we Rafans do deserve a two-day rest…
Thank you Rafa for wining this in straights!
Congrats to our Rafa and to all Rafans on the secured YE #1!!!
Major congrats to the one-dimensional claycourt specialist, so-called 😉
Thank goodness. Sleep well tonight dear Rafa. You have surpassed all our expectations.
And major congrats to Wawrinka, who has increased his tie-breakers against Rafa from 4 in the first 11 encounters to 6 with this 12th encounter. May sound like a back-handed compliment, van Zwitserland, but I don’t mean it like that: Rafa is a very bad match-up for Stan and Stan is improving. Still true even if you take into considerations Rafa’s nerves today.
You’re right. Stan deserves praise for keeping it so close. At times dangerously close.
He has made huge strides this year and more than justified his place at the O2.